The third generation of the
BMW 6 Series
The BMW 6 Series is a range of grand tourers produced by BMW since 1976. It is the successor to the E9 Coupé and is currently in its fourth generation.
The first generation BMW E24 6 Series was available solely as a two-door coupé and produce ...
consists of the BMW F12 (two-door convertible version), BMW F13 (two-door coupe version) and BMW F06 (four-door "Gran Coupe" version)
grand tourer
A grand tourer (GT) is a type of car that is designed for high speed and long-distance driving, due to a combination of performance and luxury attributes. The most common format is a Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, front-engine, rear-wh ...
s. The F12/F13/F06 generation was produced from 2011 to 2018 and is often collectively referred to as the F12.
The F12 shares a platform and many features with the
F10 5 Series, with the F12/13 having a shorter wheelbase than the F10, while the F06's wheelbase matches the F10's.
The
M6 version is powered by the
S63 twin-turbocharged V8 engine mated to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. It is the first M6 model to use a turbocharged engine.
Production of the F12 generation ended when the Gran Coupe models were discontinued in September 2018. The successor to the F12, the
BMW 8 Series (G15), began production in June 2018.
Development and launch
The new 6 Series was first shown as the "BMW Concept 6 Series" coupé
concept car
A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle, show vehicle or prototype) is a car made to showcase new styling and/or new technology. They are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or ...
at the
2010 Paris Motor Show. The exterior was designed by
Nader Faghihzadeh
Nader Faghihzadeh ( fa, نادر فقیهزاده, born 1976 in Tehran) is an Iranian-German automotive designer based in Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state o ...
, and the interior by Christian Bauer.
Unusually for BMW, the production version of the convertible was released before the coupé. The convertible version was officially introduced in January at the
2011 North American International Auto Show, while the coupé was introduced in April at the
Shanghai Auto Show
Auto Shanghai (), officially known as the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (), is a biennial international automobile show that alternates with the Beijing Auto Show (Auto China) as China's yearly international automotive ...
and
New York Auto Show
The New York International Auto Show is an annual auto show that is held in Manhattan in late March or early April. It is held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It usually opens on or just before Easter weekend and closes on the first S ...
. The Gran Coupé was introduced at the
2012 New York Auto Show.
Initial models included the 640i and 650i, while 640d and 650i xDrive models were later added to the lineup. The kerb weight of the model range is .
Body styles
File:BMW 640i Cabriolet (5622324165).jpg, F12 convertible
File:BMW F13 650i xDrive Coupé Individual IAA 2011.JPG, F13 coupé
File:BMW’s 6 Series Gran Coupé and the Paranal Observatory.jpg, F06 Gran Coupé
Convertible (F12)
The first convertible models were released in March 2011 and were produced until May 2018.
Coupé (F13)
The first coupé models were released in June 2011 and were produced until October 2017.
Gran Coupé (F06)
The F06 Gran Coupé is the
four-door coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
variant of the 6 Series, and was launched in June 2012 at the
Geneva International Motor Show
The Geneva International Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon is organised by th ...
. The design of the Gran Coupé was inspired by the 2007 BMW CS Concept.
The wheelbase of the Gran Coupé is longer than the F13 coupé, and the same length as the
BMW F10 5 Series. Compared with the F13 coupé, the body is longer, and taller. The Gran Coupé has a 4+1 seating arrangement, meaning there are two full-size rear seats, and one smaller rear middle seat. Compared to the
F01 7 Series, the Gran Coupe has a larger trunk (16.2 cubic feet versus 14 cubic feet) less headroom in the back seats due to the sloping rear roof line.
Production of the Gran Coupe models began in March 2012 and ended in September 2018. Although production ended in fall of 2018, the F06 Gran Coupe are available in the 2019 model year.
Engines
Top speed for all models is electronically limited to .
Petrol
Diesel
Transmissions
Most models were only available with an 8-speed
automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving ...
. The M6 was available with a 7-speed
dual-clutch transmission (called "M-DCT"), and a 6-speed
manual transmission
A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission system, where gear change ...
in the United States.
The automatic transmissions consist of:
* 8-speed
ZF 8HP45Z automatic (640i)
* 8-speed
ZF 8HP70Z automatic (640d / 650i)
* 7-speed
Getrag
Getrag (), stylized as GETRAG, was a major supplier of transmission systems for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The company was founded on 1 May 1935, in Ludwigsburg, Germany, by Hermann Hagenmeyer; as the ''Getriebe und Zahnradfabrik ...
GS7-D36BG
dual-clutch automatic (M6)
The manual transmission option was a consists of:
* 6-speed
Getrag
Getrag (), stylized as GETRAG, was a major supplier of transmission systems for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The company was founded on 1 May 1935, in Ludwigsburg, Germany, by Hermann Hagenmeyer; as the ''Getriebe und Zahnradfabrik ...
GS6-53BZ (650i / M6 models in US markets only)
Equipment
![Festival automobile international 2011 - BMW 650i - 02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Festival_automobile_international_2011_-_BMW_650i_-_02.jpg)
The F06/F12/F13 6 Series introduced selectable driving modes with ECO PRO, Comfort, and Sport, affecting the acceleration, transmission shift points, and
climate control
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is the use of various technologies to control the temperature, humidity, and purity of the air in an enclosed space. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. HV ...
system.
Convertible models feature sun reflective front seats, and Gran Coupé models feature 60:40 split-folding rear seats. 6 Series models are also available with the M Sport package, featuring M exterior and interior styling, LED foglights, 19-inch alloy wheels, sports seats, and an
Alcantara interior. Additional options include
automatic parking, a
Bang & Olufsen surround sound
Surround sound is a technique for enriching the fidelity and depth of sound reproduction by using multiple audio channels from speakers that surround the listener (surround channels). Its first application was in movie theaters. Prior to s ...
speaker system, and all-wheel drive (
xDrive
BMW xDrive is the marketing name for the all-wheel drive system found on various BMW models since 2003. The system uses an electronically-actuated clutch-pack differential to vary the torque between the front and rear axles. Models with the DPC t ...
).
M Performance Parts can be fitted to all models. These include black grilles, carbon fibre mirrors, a sport exhaust system, M rims, sport pedals, a sport steering wheel and a carbon fibre gear selector.
M6 model
![2013 BMW M6 coupe -- 2012 NYIAS](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/2013_BMW_M6_coupe_--_2012_NYIAS.JPG)
The M6 version was produced in convertible (F12), coupé (F13) and four-door coupé (F06) body styles. It was launched in the coupé body style alongside the standard 6 Series Gran Coupé at the 2012
Geneva Motor Show, and at the
Auto Mobil International Leipzig in convertible form.
It is powered by the
S63 4.4 litre twin-turbo V8. In most countries, the only transmission offered was a
Getrag
Getrag (), stylized as GETRAG, was a major supplier of transmission systems for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The company was founded on 1 May 1935, in Ludwigsburg, Germany, by Hermann Hagenmeyer; as the ''Getriebe und Zahnradfabrik ...
7-speed
dual-clutch transmission (called "M-DCT"). In the United States, a 6-speed manual transmission was also available.
Compared to the standard car, the M6 features M-styling, merino leather upholstery, an M-specific
head-up display
A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD (), is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a pilot being able to view informa ...
, and a
carbon fibre
Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon compo ...
roof.
Alpina B6
![B6クーペ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/B6%E3%82%AF%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9A.JPG)
The
Alpina
Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH & Co. KG is an automobile manufacturing company based in Buchloe, in the Ostallgäu district of Bavaria, Germany that develops and sells high-performance versions of BMW cars.
Alpina works closely with BMW an ...
B6 Gran Coupé xDrive was launched in 2014 and is a high performance model based on the 650i. It shares the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 found in the
B5 BiTurbo rated at and , with a top speed of . B6 models receive 20-inch alloy wheels, aerodynamic elements, and exclusive trim and paint options. In 2015, the B6 was refreshed and received performance improvements of and , and now had a top speed of .
The B6 was manufactured alongside the regular 6 Series in
Dingolfing
Dingolfing is a town in southern Bavaria, Germany. It is the seat of the Landkreis (district) Dingolfing-Landau. Dingolfing is home of a BMW assembly plant.
History
The area now called Dingolfing was first mentioned in ''Tinguluinga'' in the y ...
, and was then completed with remaining components at the Alpina factory in
Buchloe, Bavaria. It is sold by BMW in the United States and Canada, and is also independently sold by Alpina in other countries.
Yearly changes
2012
* F06 Gran Coupé body style introduced.
*
All-wheel drive
An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand.
The most common forms of all-wheel drive are:
;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one w ...
(called "xDrive" by BMW) models introduced.
*
Traffic sign recognition
Traffic-sign recognition (TSR) is a technology by which a vehicle is able to recognize the traffic signs put on the road e.g. "speed limit" or "children" or "turn ahead". This is part of the features collectively called ADAS. The technology is b ...
upgraded to include warnings about overtaking restrictions (called "No Passing Info" by BMW).
* 650i engine upgraded to
N63TU which added
variable valve lift
Variable valve lift (VVL) is an automotive piston engine technology which varies the height a valve opens in order to improve performance, fuel economy or emissions. There are two main types of VVL: discrete, which employs fixed valve lift amounts, ...
(called "
Valvetronic
The Valvetronic system is a BMW variable valve lift system which, in combination with VANOS, allows infinite adjustment of the intake valve timing and duration. The system claims to improve fuel economy and emissions, and negates the need for ...
" by BMW).
2013
* Launch control and engine coasting in ECO PRO mode introduced for models with the 8-speed automatic transmission.
* Intelligent Emergency Call with vehicle location and accident severity detection becomes a standard feature.
*640d xDrive Gran Coupé and 640i xDrive models are introduced.
*Optional night vision system upgraded and features animal recognition.
2015 facelift
At the 2015
Detroit Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), also known as the Detroit Auto Show as of 2022 and prior to NAIAS, is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., at Huntington Place. The show was held in January from 1989 to 2019. ...
, BMW introduced the F06/F12/F13
facelift
A facelift, technically known as a rhytidectomy (from the Ancient Greek () "wrinkle", and () "excision", the surgical removal of wrinkles), is a type of cosmetic surgery procedure used to give a more youthful facial appearance. There are mul ...
("LCI") models:
* Exterior changes include redesigned hood, front and rear bumpers, LED fog-lights, adaptive LED headlights, turn signals on the wing mirrors, revised wheel design, and new paint colours.
* All models were available with xDrive and met the
EU6 Exhaust Emissions standard. Fuel economy figures were improved. Additional ride comfort settings were added to the
electronically adjustable dampers.
2016
* Models feature an updated iDrive system with a 10.2-inch glass display and touch-sensitive controller.
2017
* Coupé models were discontinued in February.
* Models now available with iDrive 5 with Professional Navigation.
2018
* Convertible models were discontinued in February, while Gran Coupé models were discontinued in September.
2019
* Added some standard features.
Production volumes
The F12/F13/F06 6 Series was produced at the
Dingolfing BMW plant.
The following are production figures for the F12/F13/F06:
Awards
* 2011
Red Dot Award (6 Series Convertible)
* 2011 Good Design Award (6 Series Coupé and Convertible)
* 2012
iF Gold Award for Outstanding Design (6 Series Coupé)
* 2012
iF Product Design Award (6 Series Convertible)
* 2012
Red Dot Award (BMW 6 Series Coupé and Gran Coupé)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:BMW 6 Series (F12)
Cars introduced in 2011
6 Series (F12 F13 F06)